1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover-provided connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior art connector includes a mating female housing fitted in a hood portion of a mating male housing. A locking arm on the female housing is locked elastically to the male housing to hold both housings together. In recent years, a connector provided for an important circuit, such as an air bag circuit, has required a countermeasure to prevent the locking arm from being erroneously unlocked when a component part strikes against the locking arm and to prevent foreign matter from penetrating into the hood portion.
A cover-provided connector is disclosed in the European patent application that was published as EP 0 898 331. Japanese Publication No. 11-67331, and is shown in FIG. 9. This connector includes a female housing (a) and a male housing b. An operation portion c can be pressed to open a cover d, as shown with a two-dot chain line of FIG. 9, against the spring force of an urging spring e. The female housing (a) then is fit into a hood portion f of the male housing b. As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, a locking arm g rides on a locking projection h and elastically deforms, thus elastically contracting a return spring j through a slider i. In this manner, the female housing (a) is fitted into the male housing b. When the female housing (a) is fitted incompletely in the male housing b, the female housing (a) and the male housing b are disconnected from each other by the spring force of the return spring j. When the female housing (a) is fitted normally in the male housing b, the locking arm g is restored to the original state and is locked to the locking projection h. The slider i then is returned to its forward position. At this time, the pressing force applied to the operation portion c is eliminated. As a result, the cover d is closed by the spring force of the urging spring e. The closed cover d prevents component parts striking against the locking arm g and also prevents foreign matter from entering into the hood portion f.
In the above example, when the female housing (a) is fitted in the male housing b in a half fit-in state (incompletely), the cover d is not closed even though a closing force is applied to the cover d. This is because the cover d is brought into contact with a part of the female housing (a). Let it be supposed that the female housing (a) is fitted in the male housing b in the half fit-in state (incompletely), with the upper rear end of the female housing (a) in contact with the lower front end of the cover d, as shown in FIG. 10. When the urging force of the urging spring e and a force in a press-down direction are applied to the cover d in this state, there is a possibility that the lower front end of the cover d slides along the upper rear end of the female housing (a) and the cover d is closed in the half fit-in state. Therefore, there is a demand for development of an improved cover-provided connector.
The present invention has been made to comply with such a demand. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cover-provided connector having an improved operability.
According to the invention, there is provided a cover-provided or cover-equipped connector comprising a first housing and a second housing to be at least partly fitted to or into the first housing. The first housing has a cover movably mounted thereon. The cover has a function of substantially covering a locking portion for locking the first housing and the second housing in a fit-in state or condition. The cover has an engaging portion that interacts with the second housing to move the first and second housings towards the fit-in state or a normal fit-in position, with the cover engaged with the second housing. Accordingly, when the cover is closed in a half fit-in state, the second (preferably female) housing or the first (preferably male) housing is pressed to move it towards its fit-in state or to a normal fit-in position.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a cover-provided connector comprising a male housing and a female housing to be fitted in the male housing. The male housing or the female housing has a cover which opens and closes and which has a function of covering a locking portion for locking the male housing and the female housing in a fit-in state. The cover has an engaging portion formed on the male housing or the female housing so that when the cover closes, with the male housing and the female housing placed in a half fit-in state, the cover moves the male housing or the female housing to a normal fit-in position, with the cover in engagement with the male housing or with the female housing.
Accordingly, when the cover is closed, with the female housing or the male housing placed in a half fit-in state, the engaging portion formed on the cover engages the female housing or the male housing, thus moving the female housing or the male housing to the normal fit-in position. Thus, it is possible to fit the female housing and the male housing in each other at the normal fit-in position by closing the cover.
Preferably, the first housing has a hood portion into which the second housing is at least partly fitted or fittable. The cover is movable between a position at which the cover substantially covers the front of the hood portion and a position at which the cover substantially opens the front of the hood portion.
Further preferably, the engaging portion is formed on a rear surface of a wall of the cover substantially covering the front of the hood portion and is capable of engaging a rear end portion of the second housing.
Still further preferably, the engaging portion substantially engages a penetration preventing frame of the second housing. The frame has a function of substantially preventing an electric wire from penetrating between a surface of the second housing and the locking portion.
Most preferably, the cover is pivotally mounted on a shaft provided at a rear side of the first housing in a fit-in direction thereof.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the male housing or the female housing has a hood portion into which the male housing or the female housing is fitted. The cover is pivotal on a shaft provided at a rear side of the male housing or the female housing in a fit-in direction thereof. The cover is pivotal between a position at which the cover covers the front of the hood portion and a position at which the cover opens the front of the hood portion. The engaging portion preferably is formed on a rear surface of a wall of the cover covering the front of the hood portion and is capable of engaging a rear end portion of the male housing or the female housing.
Accordingly, when the cover is closed by its pivotal motion, with the female housing or the male housing placed in a half fit-in state, the engaging portion formed on the rear surface of the wall of the cover which covers the front of the hood portion engages the rear end portion of the male housing or the female housing. Thus the cover moves the female housing or the male housing to the normal fit-in position and covers the front of the hood portion.
Further preferably, the engaging portion projects from the rear surface of the wall of the cover that covers the front of said hood portion. Accordingly, although the construction is simple, it has a function of connecting the male and female housings with each other in the normal fit-in state.
According to still a further embodiment, the engaging portion projects (preferably slantingly) from the rear surface of the wall of the cover and substantially covers the front of the hood portion.
Thus, the interaction between the cover and the second housing is improved, as the cover preferably guidingly interacts or slides on the second housing thereby engaging it with the first housing.
Preferably, the cover is biased by biasing means towards its substantially closed position.
Further preferably, the second housing comprises a rounded or slanted portion for the interaction with the cover.
Most preferably, the cover is moved towards its substantially open position by operating an operation portion thereof.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.